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Letter: Help in fight against Alzheimer's

The human toll of Alzheimer's is obvious. Today, there are more than 5 million Americans living with this disease - the only leading cause of death without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression. Barring the development of medical breakthroughs, the number of Americans with the disease is set to triple over the next 35 years. , and the cost of care will increase to $1.1 trillion in 2050.

This year, the annual cost of caring for individuals living with Alzheimer's or other dementias will reach $259 billion, $175 billion of which comes in direct costs to Medicare and Medicaid. Yet in 2016, for every $100 the U.S. government spent on Alzheimer's research, $16,000 was spent by Medicare and Medicaid to care for those living with the disease.

Thankfully, Congress is taking action. Just recently, a $400 million increase in Alzheimer's research funding was approved. I am proud that Representatives Ed Perlmutter, Diana DeGette, Jared Polis, and Mike Coffman and Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner voted for this historic increase. Please join me in thanking them for their commitment in the fight to end Alzheimer's.